Tobacco-lath.



H. SMALL.

TOBACCO LATH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1911.

Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

lifll f emrah srafrus PATENT orricu.

HENRY SMALL, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN F. IVIORAN, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TOBACCO-LATH.

To uit 'whom 'it may concern lie it known that I, HENRY SMALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved Tobacco-Luth, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices used for hanging tobacco for the purpose of being cured, and the object of my invention among others is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for this purpose, and in the use of which the tobacco may be readily and rapidly secured in place.

One forni of device embodying my invention and in the use of which the objects above set out, as well as others, may be attained. is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved tobacco lath showing the two members separated. F ig. 2 is a like Aview in cross section through the lath showing the parts united. Fig. 3 is a view in cross section through the lath showing the two irembers united.

l'n producing1 my improved tobacco hanger or lath I make use of two members, a supporting member 5, and a guard member G. These are constructed of any suitable material, preferably wood, and are sub stantially of the size heretofore used in stringing tobacco. As a means of suspending the tobacco the supporting member is provided with prongs 7 extending from one face, preferably pointed at their outer end, these prongs being of a length to extend through the stalk of the tobacco plant or the stem of the tobacco leaf, the device being especially practicable in the stringing of what is hnownas the shade grown77 tobacco, in which the leaves are separately suspended for curing.

ln order to prevent the `tobacco from being accidentally removed from the prongs the guard member 6 is employed, this being substantially of the same dimensions as the supporting member 5. This guard member by being properly located with respect to the ends of the pins prevents any accidental removal of the tobacco from the prongs or pins.

As a means of properly securing the guard member to the supporting member and in proper position to effectually perform its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September *7, 1911.

Patented Nov.. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 648,118.

purpose I provide a holder 8 preferably constructed of metal and formed to removably engage both the supporting member 5 and the guard member 6, and to locate the latter in proper position to efl'ectually guard the prongs or pins. Preferably this' holder is so constructed that it will frictionally engage both the supporting member 5 and the guard member 6, and in the form of device herein shown this holder has lingers 9 located at opposite sides and yieldingly positioned with respect to the body l0 of the holder, the space between the lingers 9 and the body l0 being such that the supporting and guard members of the lath may be forced in between the fingers and the body and held by the spring action of the parts.

An effective structure for accomplishing my purpose consists of a holder formed of wire as shown in the drawing herein, in which the fingers 9 are formed by bending the wire into U shape at each side and by forming another U shaped bend at t-he center to constitute the body l0, the U-shaped bend forming the lingers opening in the same direction, and the U shaped body opening in the opposite direction.

It will be seen that by the use of my improved lath the tobacco may be readily placed upon the pins or prongs, the holders readily placed in position and the guard quickly secured in place to retain the tobacco on the prongs. The holders may be readily stored in boxes or like receptacles from which they may be conveniently procured one by one for use.

In placing the tobacco upon the laths no attention is required to place the leaves with their stems extending in a certain direction as there is no bott-om or top edge to the laths and the use of my improved holder enables the laths to be placed with either edge up. A further advantage resides in the fact that if either or both of the laths shall be warped by reason of previous hanging of tobacco thereon, or for other reasons, either or both of the laths may be placed with that edge up which may be desired to bring the lath back to its normal position, and the use of the holder thus enables the laths to be so employed as to keep them from getting unduly out of shape as they are successively used for the purpose in hand.

l/Vhile I have illustrated in the drawing and described herein a preferred form of device embodying my invention this may be departed from to a greater or lesser extent, and I do not therefore consider it necessary to construct a device in exact accordance with that shown herein in order to embody the invention.

I claiml. A tobacco hanger including a supporting member having prongs extending therefrom, a guard member, and a holder having a spacing body to relatively position said members and with means to removably engage both of the members.

2. A tobacco hanger including a supporting member having prongs extending therefrom, a guard member, and a holder having a spacing body to relatively position said members and also having means to removably eno'age the supporting member and a spring finger to removably and frictionally engage the guard member.

3. A tobacco lath including a supporting member having prongs extending therefrom, a guard member, and a holder made from Wire form ed into a spacing body With spring iingers at opposite edges to removably and frictionally engage both of said lath members.

4. A holder for a tobacco lath including a spacing body formed to position two lath members with spring fingers located at opposite edges ot' the body and arranged to frictionally receive said lath members.

5. A holder for a tobacco lath, said holder being made from Wire having a spacing body formed to relatively position two lath members and with a U shaped opening at opposite edges providing spring lingers arranged to rictionally and removably engage said lath members.

HENRY SMALL.

litnesses E. F. EATON, EVA L. SToUGHToN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, IJ. G. 

